LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Shelf __. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



<^t 



THE 

True Disciplinarian 

A COURSE OF 

PRACTICAL RELIGION 

AND 

Training For The Eternal World, 

TOGETHER 



WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF THE AUTHOR, 
AND REMARKS ON LITURGY. 



it. 






By B. M. FRICK, M. D. 

^ — • — (t' .■■^-.-..■. ■ 

/ 

No man knoweth the Son, but the Father, neither knoweth 
any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the. 
Son will reveal him, — Matt. xi. 27. > ..<\^ ^^ .^ 



LANCASTER, PA.: 

INQUIRER PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO. 

1878. 






ir 




COPYRIGHTED, 1 879, 

By B. M. FRICK, M. D. 



INQUIRER P. & P. CO., 

STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTERS, 

LANCASTER, PA. 



PREFACE. 



THE Son of man is come to save that 
which was lost." Matt, xviii. ii. 
Therefore the point to arrive at, or the good 
to be accomplished, to my fellowmen, is their 
souls' salvation, as the reading of many- 
books is too much labor for the majority of 
men ; and more so, when we consider the 
shortness of the memory, and the natural in- 
clination to read about and seek after those 
things which tend to their external wants. I 
have therefore tried to explain in a few 
words (in the way that God hath given me 
understanding,) the great mysteries of our 
repentance, conversion and discipline through 
our life in this world, and our final deliver- 
ance from this body, namely, our eternal sal- 
vation through Christ Jesus our Lord j — 
(iii) 



IV PREFACE. 

leaving altogether out of sight church gov- 
ernment, sectarianism, vain disputings, and 

man's differing in opinions. 

The Author. 

Willow Street, Lancaster Co,, Fa., 

Sept, 6th, 1878. 



MISCELLANEOUS CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

What is God ? 7 

What God is 9 

Devil's Work in Man 1 1 

First Sin . , 14 

Man Dead , . 17 

Picture of Man 19 

Free Agency 22 

Unwillingness to Punish 23 

God's Own Record 25 

All in Its Proper Place 27 

Satan's Mixed Lie 28 

Obstinacy of Man 29 

Time of Man's Repentance 30 

Different kind of • • • 31 

Author of. ^^ 

Salvable , 35 

Baptism of Fire and Holy Ghost 41 

Eating and Drinking Damnation 42 

Revivals Necessary 44 

Nature's Mourning 46 

David's Expression > . . , 47 

Satan's Propositions 48 

Man's Inability 50 

Deliverance 5 j 

New Heaven 52 

What Eternal Life is 53 

y 



VI MISCELLANEOUS CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Warnings 54 

Christ's Mission 55 

Christian's Warfare 59 

Satan's Work in Church .,,..., 60 

Man's Righteousness 61 

Grace for Others' Profit 62 

Destruction of the Wicked 64 

Invisibility of God's People 66 

Corrupt Nature Lying Dormant 68 

Fiery Serpent 70 

The Two Judgments ' 72 

Worldly Mystery 75 

Words Spoken 76 

Transfiguration 77 

Serving God without Reserve c 79 

Vision , 80 

Penalties 81 

From whence Faith ? 83 

Brethren's Trials 87 

Things We Can Do 89 

Difterence of Godly 90 

Foolish Things of God 93 

Conscience not to be Trusted 97 

Religion Makes Man Good 98 

Christ's Power to be Used 99 

Christian Perfection 100 

Strictly Personal loi 

Full Enjoyment of God 105 

Indescribable Felicity > . 107 

Death so Terrible 108 

Insufferable Punishment 1 10 

Special Obligation ' 112 

Newness of God's Instructions 113 

Prayers , , 1 14 

Thanksgiving 123 

Perfect Obedience 125 

Observance of Strict Order 126 



THE 

TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 



PRELIMINARY. 

HOW shall a man believe in him whom he 
doth not know, and how shall a man 
know, if he is not taught? A certain king 
asked his counselor, What is God? The 
counselor asked for time till the morrow; 
on the morrow he appeared and wished three 
days' more time. *^ How is this? " saith the 
King. The answer was, *^The more I think 
about it, the less I know about it.'* But it is 
not so with us, unto whom God hath revealed 
by the Holy Ghost, through Jesus Christ com- 
ing into the flesh, and since then unto those 
who love and serve him by the same spirit ; 
(7) 



8 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

but the world knoweth him not, because it 
sees him not. 

Acts xvii. 23. *^ To the unknown God, 
Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him 
declare I unto you" — God that made the 
world and all things, seeing he is Lord of 
heaven and earth, and dwelleth not in tem- 
ples made with hands, as though he needeth 
any thing, seeing he giveth life and breath 
and all things, and hath made of one blood 
all nations of men, for to dwell upon the face 
of the earth, and has determined the times be- 
fore appointed and bounds of their habitation, 
that they should seek the Lord, if liaply they 
might feel after him and find him, though he 
be not far from every one of us. 

Scripture defines God to be a spirit, the 
Father, Creator and Governor of all things \ 
he is the primary cause, the first cause, the 
self-existing cause, the only cause, the eternal 
cause, the great and all-governing cause, of 
heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in them 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 9 

is, without beginning and without end, God 
is a word and is power. 

John i. i: '*In the beginning was the 
word, and the word was with God, and the 
word was God ; the same was in the beginning 
with God. All things were made by him, and 
without him was not anything made that was 
made. In him was life; and the life was the 
life of man." Isa. xliii. lo-ii ; '^Believe me, 
and understand that I am he ; before me there 
was no God formed, neither shall there be 
after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and be- 
sides me there is no " Saviour. ' ' No man 
hath at any time seen God with mortal eyes, 
save in Jesus Christ when in the flesh ; he 
hath declared he was the only God ever 
formed. ^^He that seeth me, seeth the 
Father." '^ I am alpha and omega, the first 
and the last, the beginning and the end." 
He did show unto man the almighty word, 
dJCid power was in him, by doing the wonder- 
ful miracles in the sight of man, declaring 



lO THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

unto Jews and Gentiles that the Father was in 
him, and he in the Father, and that he had 
power over sin, death and hell, which man 
hath not, except so far as he has received 
power from Christ to overcome sin. As many 
as believed gave he the power to become the 
children of God. 

Now I have tried to explain what is God, 
and who is God : this then is the first, and 
the great, and the all -ruling power, and it is 
good, and there is no evil in it. There is 
none good but God ; he is the great King of 
kings, and the Lord of lords, and hath all 
rule and government under him ; then if such 
is the case, there must of necessity be ruling 
servants under him, to carry out his com- 
mand and enforce obedience, and punish 
evil doers. 

WHO IS THE DEVIL? 

The question is to be answered. There 
is a secondary power, which had its begin- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. II 

ning with pride and ambition, striving for 
the supremacy in heaven. Lucifer, an angel 
of high standing, was the originator of evil ; 
he caused a war among the angels in heaven, 
and disobedience of the same, but he and his 
whole host were cast out. He hath become an 
enemy unto God and all his works ; he is now 
the opposite power ; though secondary only, 
yet hath he a great power, having principali- 
ties and rulers under him, (namely, the 
angels that were cast out with him,) to bring 
about all manner of evil and destruction upon 
man, the creature of God, infusing into man 
to disobey his Creator, causing divisions 
among themselves, wars and fighting contin- 
ually. His name is the Evil Spirit, the Devil, 
Satan, and the Old Serpent, that brought sin, 
suffering and destruction upon our first par- 
ents in the garden of Eden. Let us now 
consider some of his doings and acts among 
men. Job i. and ii, we can see the operation 
of this evil spirit, how he infused or inspired 



12 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

in the minds of the Sabeans to slay Job's ser- 
vants with the sword, and to take away the 
oxen and asses as booty, and then caused fire 
to fall upon the sheep and consume them. 
Not yet satisfied, he entered into the minds 
of the Chaldeans, to slay Job's servants with 
the sword, and carry the camels away ; then 
caused a great storm to rise in the wilderness, 
and brought it upon the house where Job's 
sons and daughters were feasting, tore it to 
pieces and killed them all ; and after destroy- 
ing all that Job had, he was not satisfied, but 
asked leave to attack his body, and smote 
him with sore boils, from the crown of his 
head to the soles of his feet, but his life he 
had no privilege to touch. (Solomon saith 
there are two things that never say enough, 
death and the grave.) Now let us follow 
him down to Egypt, and see his mighty 
power exerted over Pharaoh, King of Egypt. 
As soon as the king acknowledged the supreme 
power of God and promised to consent to 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I3 

God's request, he placed his foot upon 
Satan, and shut off the destroyer, and healed 
the damage; but so soon as Pharaoh was 
healed and at ease, the king was inspired by 
the devil again to act deceitfully, hence 
another opportunity for destruction was at 
hand, over the king's affairs; and such were 
Satan's works carried on through the Ten 
Plagues of Egypt. Not satisfied with all this, 
he followed up and destroyed Pharao'h's whole 
host in the Red Sea. Doth he stop here? 
No ! Follow him on through the whole line • 
of God's people, while traveling in the wil- 
derness. When Moses was withdrawn from 
the congregation to the top of Mount Sinai, 
for the purpose of receiving instructions con- 
cerning the government of God's people, 
Satan came in among the people, and infused 
into their minds to make themselves a golden 
calf, and fall down before it, and say, ^^ These 
be the gods that brought us out of the land 
of Egypt," so as to dishonor God, who was 



14 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

really their deliverer. Here we can plainly 
see his first sin, pride and ambition^ not will- 
ing that God's supremacy should be ac- 
knowledged, but acting in opposition all 
along as time rolled on, causing insurrection, 
disputing, and disobedience, usurping all 
power in his might to get the people to do evil, 
until he had the whole host of God's people 
destroyed in the wilderness, save two, Caleb 
and Joshua, being in number over six hun- 
dred thousand, beside women and children. 
Again, when Herod the king was in power, 
and the King of kings and Saviour of the 
world was born, he was ready to carry on his 
fiendish work through Herod, and induced 
him to slay many innocent children, but 
failed to accomplish his end. But the great- 
est work he ever undertook was to tempt 
Christ — God himself in the flesh — asking him 
to fall down and worship him. Herein he 
failed (by his misconception of the work of 
God to bring about man's salvation.) Satan 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 1 5 

followed Christ in his opposition until he had 
accomplished his work (as he thought) by 
nailing Christ to the cross ; but through and 
by that operation Satan lost all his power 
over death, and destruction of all those who 
serve God through Christ. Yes, Satan lost 
his power over that death of our first par- 
ents which he gained through their disobedi- 
ence to God's command, for ^' in the day 
wherein ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.'* 
Now we can safely say, there is no more fear of 
death for all those who walk according to the 
doctrine of Christ. Since that time we see his 
work of opposition in the world, in the chil- 
dren of disobedience j how he taketh advan- 
tage of every opportunity that can be thought 
of, to produce havoc and destruction among 
the children of men, by raising up hurricanes, 
destructive storms, heavy-rainfalls, hail, thun- 
der and lightning, fire and floods or water, to 
tear up trees, throw down buildings, and de- 
stroy man, beast and vegetation from off the 



1 6 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

face of the earth ; not satisfied with all this, 
but infusing into God's people to quarrel and 
fight and sin. 

I have nov/ tried or attempted to explain 
some of Satan's mighty works, that we may 
have a little understanding and knowledge of 
his doings among the children of men; by 
his fruits ye shall know him. 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY. 

And now, what shall we do ? Will we sit 
down in fear, consternation and horror, and 
behold all this work going on, and allow this 
secondary power, even Satan, to cause such 
havoc and destruction in our land and na- 
tion, destroying man and beast, women and 
children, and the souls of men, when the 
remedy is at hand, yea in our power to pre- 
vent, if we but asked the power of him who 
doth offer it unto us simply by asking him for 
it ? I say again, what will we do ? — have we 
no mind, no understanding, no knowledge at 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 1 7 

all ? No ? Will we not consider, will we not 
give a matter of so vast importance any 
bought at all ? Is it possible that man is 
dead, deaf, dumb, and blind? can he not 
be aroused from this great carelessness ? can 
he not be brought to halt and think again ? 
Is it possible? is it possible? But every one 
goeth after his own business, the farmer to his 
farm, the carpenter to the house he is build- 
ing, the blacksmith to fire and anvil, the 
laborer to his labor, the merchant to his 
merchandise, the professional man to his 
office j rulers and governors sit in their chairs 
considering the responsibilities pertaining to 
their offices ; — all considering how they may 
live so as to gather money and riches, and yet 
appear before man honorable and of high 
standing, forgetting God as the last thing to 
be noticed ; and when Satan bringeth forth his 
mighty destructions and devastation by rais- 
ing up black clouds, flashing of fire, heavy 
peals of thunder and mighty storms, black- 



1 8 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

ness and darkness come rolling on unex- 
pectedly ; then, and only then, will men rise 
up from off their seats and occupations, 
wherein they were so busily engaged, with 
fear and trembling facing the horrible de- 
struction coming upon them, their bodies 
cast down in death, for to appear before 
whom they shall give an account of their do- 
ings and of their discipline and training for 
the eternal world, in this their time allotted 
unto them, for the glorification of their 
Creator and the Preserver of all things. But 
now no thought has been taken about God 
and eternal things, hence they are not pre- 
pared for the work now before them. V/hat 
shall we say ? Had no time ? Did not know 
what God required? Did you not see it 
with your eyes, hear it with your ears, and 
understand it with your heart, what God re- 
quired of you? Is it possible that this is a 
true picture for God and man to behold ? No 
wonder did David say, " Oh ! that mine 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 1 9 

eyes were fountains of water, and my cheeks 
were valleys, that I might weep, that the 
tears might flow down my cheeks like rivers 
of water. ' ' Now if this is the true state and 
condition of God, man, and Satan, why and 
ivherefore is it so? We say, these things 
must needs be so ; if there is to be a governor 
or ruler, there must needs be a command- 
ment, or we would be all alike ; and if com- 
mand is given by a supreme ruler unto his 
subjects, there must be a penalty attached to 
prevent the violation of the same ; then must 
there be of necessity one to carry out or in- 
flict the punishment attached. If this were 
not the case, man would have no will of his 
own ; he would be no free agent. We read 
that even the angels in heaven are not slaves 
bound unto God, but have the power of voli- 
tion, to obey or not to obey; and man is 
placed on equality with angels in this respect. 
Yet say you, man has fallen from his original 
state : so have the angels. Lucifer, a great 



20 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

prince in heaven, with one- third part of the 
angels at that time, have fallen, and we read 
they are bound in eternal chains of darkness, 
unto the day of final settlement of all things, 
when they shall receive their reward with 
those men who embrace not the opportunity 
to be saved in the time given unto them ; 
but those fallen angels are not on salvable 
ground, like man is, for whom provision was 
made. Now, we say man is more highly fa- 
vored with God than even the angels are in 
this respect, because he answered a two-fold 
purpose for God's work. Man is of great 
service to God in this world. What would 
this world be if there was no man in it? 
Consider how it would appear. To what 
purpose would the earth be? what pleasure 
would there be to its Creator, with all the 
glories and powers in it, if there was no man 
upon the face of it, just as he is made, with 
hands to labor, feet to walk, eyes to see, 
ears to hear, and a mind to understand — yea, 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 21 

a great mind, to consider all things that are 
and all that therein is? And on the other 
necessary to be done in this glorious earth 
hand man hath an eternal spirit, to glorify 
God in the eternal world to come, after this 
earthly work is ended. 

REDEMPTION. 
Who has ever made anything to his own 
pleasure and satisfaction, that does not love 
it, would not remedy its defects, and set it 
aright, for his own satisfaction and pleasure ? 
So God hath created man in his own image 
and likeness, with the power of volition to 
will for himself, that he should be no slave or 
servant, but a son, who should be co-equal 
with himself in the great business and enjoy- 
ment throughout the eternal world. Now 
if we could but understand the near kin and 
relationship we hold toward God, and the 
love he bears toward us as his creatures by 
this sacred tie ; we are bone of his bone and 
flesh of his flesh, which he hath proved unto 



22 THE TRUE DISCIPLIXARIAN. 

US by coming into the flesh and doing for us 
that which we were not able to do in the state 
and condition we had placed ourselves, because 
we did give way and sinned against his com- 
mand, and fell under the power of Satan (by 
our own actions), who held us in captivity 
and bondage, until he came himself into the 
flesh, and fulfilled that law which his justice 
would not otherwise but demand. To keep 
his original justice, and abide in the truth, 
he therefore came down in his mighty 
power, fulfilled that law to the letter without 
sin, and then died the death in our stead, 
namely the death of a sinner : for he called 
out '' ^ly God, my God, why hast thou for- 
saken me?" So he paid our penalty, that 
divine justice may abide and he can have 
mercy upon us, namely the forgiveness of our 
sin. Justice and truth is not injured if we 
claim him for our righteousness. 

It matters not how merciful and unwilling 
to mete out a punishment : when there is a 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 23 

decree that altereth not, or that cannot be 
broken without the loss of his own steadfast- 
ness and of justice and truth, it must be pos- 
itively enforced, however unwilling. For 
example, there was a certain king who passed 
a decree, that for a certain offence the of- 
ender's eyes were to be put out ; and the one 
that committed the offence, was the king's 
own son. What was to be done ? The 
king had to make a sacrifice, or fall from his 
own steadfastness, and become a trifler. He 
therefore proposed that one of his eyes should 
be put out and one of his son's, so that he 
might show his subjects the unalterableness of 
the king's law and command. Again, how 
was it with Darius, the king in Daniel's time? 
If there could have been a remedy found to 
rescue Daniel, it would have been surely 
done; for the king worked hard until the 
going down of the sun — yes, all day — to find 
out how he might rescue Daniel from being 
cast into the lions' den. There is no doubt 



24 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

the king shed many tears ; but there was no 
help, the decree altered not. 

In such a condition and position man 
placed God by his own action. What is to 
be done ? It matters not how unwilling God 
is in Christ Jesus ; he cannot save man in any 
other way than that which is laid down. He 
calleth upon all men everywhere, saying, 
*' Turn ye, oh ! why will you die.'' It is not 
His will that any should perish, but that all 
should consent, and escape the punishment 
which might follow. Thus, we say, it is such 
a decree that altereth not. God saith him- 
self, what more can I do, that I have not 
done? — having himself suffered our penalty 
upon the cross — and calleth us to render up 
our will and come and be saved, the only 
way in which he can save us. 

John i. 29 to 35 : ^' The next day John 
seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith. Be- 
hold the Lamb of God which taketh away the 
sin of the world ; this is he of whom I said. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN, 25 

after me cometh a Man which is preferred be- 
fore me ; for he was before me. And I knew 
him not, but that he should be made mani- 
fest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing 
with water. And John bare record, saying, 
I saw the Spirit descending for heaven like a 
dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew 
him not ; but he that sent me to baptize with 
water, the same said unto me. Upon whom 
thou shalt see the Spirit descending and 
remaining on him, the same is he which 
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, 
and bare record that this is the Son of God." 
Again, Luke iv. i6 to i8: ^'And he came 
to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; 
and, as his custom was, he went into the syn- 
agogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for 
to read. And there was delivered unto him 
the Book of the Prophet Esaias. And when 
he had opened the Book, he found the place 
where it was written. The spirit of the Lord 
is upon me, because he hath anointed me to 



26 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

preach the gospel to the poor ; he hath sent 
me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach de- 
liverance to the captives, and recovering of 
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that 
are bruised." 

Mark i. 15 : ^^ And saying. The time is 
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ; 
repent ye, and believe the gospel.'' 

Matt. iv. 17 : ^^From that time Jesus began 
to preach, and to say, Repent, for the king- 
dom of heaven is at hand." 

Acts xvii. 29 to 31 : ^'For as much then as 
we are the offspring of God, we ought not to 
think that the God-head is like unto gold, or 
silver, or stone, graven by art and man's de- 
vice. And the times of this ignorance God 
winked at; but now commandeth he all men 
everywhere to repent; because he hath ap- 
pointed a day, in the which he will judge the 
world in righteousness by that man whom he 
hath ordained ; wherein he hath given assur- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 2^ 

ance unto all men, in that he hath raised him 
from the dead/' 

In concluding the preliminary part, we 
we must say all is right, and just, and good, 
and necessary so to be. God alone is wise, 
and He alone hath understanding of His 
great and mighty works. We must say, God 
is in his proper place, angels are in their 
proper place, man is in his proper place, 
Christ is in his proper place, Satan is in his 
proper place, and the salvation of man 
through Christ is in its proper place. If we 
consider all the circumstances, we must say 
yea and amen ; so it was from the beginning, 
so be it in the end j and this alone grieves me, 
that I have so sinned against the Lord my 
God. 



REPENTANCE 



T^ EPENTANCE implies that a certain measure 
-*-^ of divine wisdom is communicated to 
the sinner, and he thereby becomes wise unto 
salvation; it means sorrow for sins which are 
past, a remembrance or after-thought of a 
misspent life, producing an uneasiness of the 
mind, upon a consideration of what is done. 
There is still remaining in the human mind a 
part of God's light of original righteousness; 
man hath died the death of the power to do 
that which is right, yet there is a spark of 
light left remaining, so that man knoweth 
when he doeth wrong ; and this proves itself 
to be a fact, for the child one or more years 
old knoweth when it does wrong before 
father or mother tell him of it ; experience 
teaches this, and Satan said, You shall not 
surely die, but shall be wise as gods, knowing 
(28) 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 29 

good from evil. The Saviour, speaking of 
man's final apostasy, says, And if that light 
that in thee be darkness, how great will that 
darkness be ! Thus we travel on with this 
knowledge in us, until a special effort is 
made by the Spirit of God, the Holy 
Ghost, so that we are compelled to hear 
his voice, riveting mighty convictions on us 
of our sins ; so much so that there is no rest 
in us, neither by day nor by night, on account 
of our sins; but we are not willing to surren- 
der, and wish to get rid of this trouble, not 
by repentance, but by seeking worldly jollity, 
often the wine-cup, and such company as is 
not under such influence, to work this trouble 
off. Oh ; what obstinacy is in man ! But the 
voice of God is, when you hear his voice har- 
den not your heart. Such, then, is a special 
call to repentance ; and if you harden your 
heart, and fight against the Spirit of God, 
you may never have another chance to re- 
pent ; because man cannot repent when he 



30 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

pleases, but when God gives him the power 
to repent only; for he saith, ^' How long, ye 
simple ones, will you love simplicity, ye 
scorners delight in your scornings, and fools 
hate knowledge ? Turn ye at my reproof. 
Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you, 
and will make known my words unto you, 
now, because I have called and you refused, 
I have stretched out my hand and you did 
not regard, and took none of mine reproof, 
and set at naught my counsel, I also will 
laugh at your calamity, and will mock when 
your fear cometh." As far as my experi- 
ence goes, man, or some men, will have 
three or four special calls to repentance dur- 
ing their lifetime ; therefore greatly fear lest 
God's spirit will take its flight, and then 
there will be no more saving repentance left 
for thee. How many have gone distracted, 
and committed suicide, to get out of trouble ! 
But there are various kinds of repentance 
mentioned in Scripture, and we can see 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 3 1 

the fruits of it. We read of the beast in the 
Revelation that had a deadly wound and was 
made whole, and all that were not of God 
worshiped the beast ; and of that great city 
that became a cage for every foul beast and 
unclean bird. First, natural repentance, or 
that which is merely from a natural con- 
science. Second, a national repentance, such 
as the Jews in Babylon were called up to, to 
which temporal blessings were promised ; 
Ezekiel — '* Therefore I will judge you, O 
house of Israel, every one according to his 
way, saith the Lord. Repent and turn your- 
selves from all your transgression whereby 
you have transgressed, and make a new heart, 
and a new spirit; for why will you die, O 
house of Israel ? for I have no pleasure of him 
that dieth, saith the Lord God ; wherefore 
turn yourselves and live." Third, an exter- 
nal repentance, or outward humiliation for 
sin, as in the case of Ahab ; he went into his 
house and laid on his bed, turned his face to 



32 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

the wall and would not eat bread, because 
he could not have things as he desired. 
Fourth, a hypocritical repentance, as repre- 
sented in Ephraim — ^ ^Though I have bound 
and strengthened their arms, yet they 
imagine mischief against me. They return, 
but not unto the most high ; they are like a 
deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by 
the sword, for the rage of their tongue ; this 
shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. 
Fifth, a legal repentance, which is a main 
work of the law, and the effects of conviction 
of sin by it, w^hich in time will wear off and 
come to nothing. Sixth, an evangelical re- 
pentance, which consists in conviction of sin, 
confession of it, hatred to it, and renuncia- 
tion of it. A legal repentance and an evan- 
gelical can be distinguished thus : First, a 
legal repentance is from a sense of danger 
and a fear of wrath ; an evangelical is a true 
mourning for sin, and an earnest desire to be 
delivered from sin. Second, a legal repent- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. ;^^ 

ance flows from the fear of punishment 
threatened, and in unbelief; an evangelical 
is always the fruit and consequence of a sav- 
ing faith. Third, a legal repentance flows from 
aversion, hatred or dislike to God and his 
holy law ; but an evangelical from love to 
both. Fourth, a legal repentance flows from 
discouragement and despondency ; but an 
evangelical from an encouraging hope. Fifth, 
a legal repentance is temporary ; but an evan- 
gelical is a daily exercise of the true Christian. 
Sixth, a legal repentance doth at most pro- 
duce a partial external reformation ; but an 
evangelical is a total change of our heart and 
life. The author of repentance is God, the 
subject the sinner. None but those who have 
sinned can repent. Though many have, no 
doubt, repeatedly felt smart pain in their 
conscience, and endeavored to quiet it with 
a few such aspirations as these — Lord have 
mercy upon me ; Lord forgive me, and lay 
not this sin to my charge, for Christ's sake; 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 



— and thus of the work of repentance they 
know little ; they have not suffered the pangs 
of conscience to form themselves into true 
repentance; a deep conviction of their lost 
and ruined state both by nature and practice 
of sin, and contrition for sin, have only 
had a superficial influence upon their hearts ; 
their repentance is not a deep, radical work; 
they have not suffered themselves to be led 
into the various chambers of the house of 
imagery, to detect the hidden abominations 
everywhere set up, against the honor of God 
and the safety of their souls ; when they have 
felt a little smarting from a wound of sin, they 
have it slightly healed, and their repentance 
is that from which they may repent ; it was 
partial and inefficient, and its end proves it ; 
they walk straight before man and greatly fear 
man, but do not consider God, who consider- 
eth the desires and intents of the heart, the 
inward man ; they have not, through the ex- 
cess of sorrow for sin, fled to lay hold upon 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 35 

the hope that is set before them, and refused 
to be comforted until they felt that word pow- 
erfully spoken into their hearts, ** Son or 
daughter, be of good cheer, thy sins are for- 
given thee." No man should consider his 
repentance as having answered a saving end 
to his soul, till he feels that God, for Christ^s 
sake, hath forgiven his sins, and the spirit of 
God testifies to his spirit that he is accepted, 
and a child of God. How few generally 
confess their own sin ! They see not their 
guilt ; they are continually making excuses 
for their crimes — the strength and sub- 
tility of the tempter, the natural weakness of 
their minds, the unfavorable circumstances in 
which they are placed, etc., etc., are all 
pleaded as excuses for their sins, and possi- 
bility of repentance is shut out or prevented ; 
for until" a man take his sin to himself, until 
he acknowledge that he alone is guilty, he 
cannot be humbled, and consequently cannot 
be saved. Reader, until thou own thyself and 



36 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

thyself only, and feel that thou alone, art re- 
sponsible for all thy iniquities, there is no 
hope for thy salvation. Reader, learn that 
true repentance is work, and not the work of 
an hour ; it is not passing regret, but a deep 
and alarming conviction that thou art a 
fallen spirit, hast broken God's law, art under 
the curse and in danger of hell fire. He 
who seeth his inward parts in God's light, or 
as God seeth him, need not transgress and 
sin any more to produce penitence and con- 
trition for sin, for he feels too much already to 
give his will to sin more. As the apostle saith, 
we are not under the law, and if sin abound 
grace doth still more abound, therefore we 
may sin that grace may abound ; but the 
answ^er is, How shall we sin who are dead 
unto sin ? — and this is the death that a man 
dies when he steps out of sin into the grace of 
Jesus Christ. This is true evangelical repent- 
ance. He that sinneth is of the devil, James 
saith. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 37 

I will give you my own experience 
of repentance. When I was quite young, 
I was conscious that God was not 
pleased with me on account of my sins; 
and when I was seven years old I went 
to school, the first session of which, three 
months in a year, called a quarter, 1 took up 
the German and learned to read well ; and 
then took up the English and learned to read. 
The first quarter the Bible and Testament 
were our high school books. (There were no 
Sunday-schools in those days, at least not 
away from the city ; in fact, we knew nothing 
about Sabbath-schools in 1825. My parents 
were members of the Mennonite persuasion.) 
In this way I became acquainted with the 
Scriptures. So I lived until I was about six- 
teen, still conscious that if I were to die my 
soul would be eternally lost, and consequently 
greatly fearing death ; and when I was about 
sixteen I had a powerful call to repentance, 
through the spirit of God. I prayed much, 



38 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

wept much, and read much in the Testament, 
and was much cast down on account of my 
lost state and condition through sin ; went to 
Church, heard preaching with great desire 
and eagerness. Now there was a w^oods or 
grove not far from the house where I lived, in 
which there was a knob of hill or peak ; 
thither I frequently resorted after night, so 
that no one would see me. I prayed and 
wept much and often, for pardon and 
forgiveness of my sins ; but all this was a 
great secret ; I did not wish that any person 
should know anything about my trouble. 
Then, after harvest some time, I concluded 
that I would go up into the mountains, be- 
cause I had read that Christ often went up 
into the mountains to pray, and there I 
thought I could fast and pray without any per- 
son to disturb me ; so I started in the evening 
when it was already dark. I let no one 
know anything about my going away — I trav- 
eled through the fields and along the high- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 39 

way ; on reaching the hill country I selected 
a high peak, there being no public road near ; 
but I could see far over the country — see the 
people at work in their fields at a great dis- 
tance. There I commenced reading, praying 
and weeping alternately (with quite a satis- 
faction — there being no one to disturb me), 
which I could do without any effort on my 
part, for my sorrows were great on account 
of my sins; and thus I read, wept and prayed, 
fasting day and night ; sometimes I would 
fall asleep, being worried out, then when 
awake go to work again, for three nights and 
days. After three days and nights were thus 
spent in weeping, praying, reading and fast- 
ing, 1 felt easier on account of my sins; but 
now, to live right was the next. I was very 
weak, and felt if I wanted to live I must get 
something to eat and drink ; so I concluded 
that I would go to a certain bishop whom. I had 
known for some time, and abide with him for 
some time to learn to live so as to sin no more, 



40 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

for sin I dreaded greatly. So I left the peak 
with my book under my arm, and the first 
house I came to I asked for a piece of dry 
bread, which I received thankfully. I went 
to the pump, ate and drank ; now I was ready 
for the journey, some fifteen miles. I reached 
the Bishop's house, inquired for work, which 
was granted. He did not know me, and took 
very little notice of me, and the first day I 
lost confidence in him on account of a small 
act. We were hauling out manure, and we 
had it cut down as we loaded it ; one of the 
cows climbed up where we had it cut straight, 
and he expressed such anger, and ran the an- 
imal down so furiously, that I could see that 
he was a servant of sin, and good could not 
be learned from him. After three days I 
concluded that he had no power to overcome 
evil, and I asked my leave, which was 
granted ; then I went to the place where I had 
left when I went into the mountains ; the 
man asked me no questions that I remember 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 4I 

of my whereabouts; I told him that I. would 
work on as I did before. All was right as far 
as I could learn, so I worked, attended the 
church, and lived really a holy life. 

That fall there was a campmeeting near by, 
which I attended every night and over Sun- 
day ; there was the first time that I ever saw 
the full effects of baptism of fire and the 
Holy Ghost. I watched very closely, but 
could not understand anything about it ; 
while others worked, I did not know what to 
think; but mock I would not, for I feared 
God. Soon after I changed my place and 
went into another neighborhood and among 
ungodly people, who would laugh at my sol- 
emn ways and serious living, and did grad- 
ually draw me into worldly enjoyments and 
away from God. All this time I did not 
confess Christ before man, and had my relig- 
ion to myself; therefore Christ would not 
support me ; he demands a confession before 
man. Now my lot fell into another neigh- 



42 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

borhood among a better people ; then I was 
called again from within and without, and 
becoming acquainted with the church people, 
I undertook to confess Christ openly ; then 
I was baptized and taken into church fellow- 
ship. I then traveled with the young, till 
I made acquaintance with the one who after- 
ward became my partner in life ; she now be- 
came a member of the same persuasion 
in which her parents and mine held their 
church membership, and we did not very long 
live as Christians ought to live, and were 
thus partakers at the Lord's table, until I was 
so sorely condemned that I could no longer 
remain in church fellowship, lest I should 
eat and drink damnation to my soul by eat- 
ing and drinking unworthily, not discerning 
the Lord's body that it is holy, and none but 
the holy dare touch it. Expose my partner 
I would not, so I went out into worldly en- 
joyments to kill sorrow, as is usually the way 
with most men ; and when I was admonished 



\ 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 43 

I demanded my withdrawal from church fel- 
lowship, stating that I was unworthy, and it 
was granted. Now was I loose from the 
church, and soon loose from God. I now fell 
into more, gross and worse sins than I ever was 
guilty of before, and thus lived quite in loose- 
ness and wantonness, and fell into damnable 
sins, and lived therein for a long time. I 
was as it were blind, having eyes and seeing 
not, ears and hearing not, and a mind and 
considering not, and the business I was in 
was very favorable to such a life. 

Now under all this dreadful life God did 
not wish to let me be lost, and he did once 
more give me a chance to repent ; so I was 
brought once more to feel my lost state and 
condition, and with a view to reformation I 
joined the secret orders, which made me 
think still more seriously about my latter end, 
through that which I was taught and prom- 
ised in the various ceremonies; God still 
pressing more closely upon me the necessity 



44 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

of my repentance and change of my life. As 
I was a great lover of music, I happened to 
come where a religious revival was going on, 
and I became interested in their singing the 
songs of Zion, and of God, and of praise, 
and of the acknowledgment of God in 
Christ Jesus. I became so much attached to 
these that I had much pleasure, but without 
really considering what I was singing. I 
heard their mighty and earnest prayers to 
God to draw sinners to repentance and save 
their souls through Christ. I all at once, as 
it were, became very sick about my sins, so 
that I began to pray in secret again and found 
some relief, and formed a hope and anchor 
to trust in God. But it was not long until 
one day I was in the city of Lancaster, 
when a heavy gust came up ; the lightning 
flashed vividly, with heavy peals of thunder 
following, shaking everything around us. I 
and two acquaintances were in their store. 
Such lightning, heavy thunder and rain, I had 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 45 

not seen for many days before, if ever ; and 
as the vivid flashes went through the room, as 
it were, one of them turned pale and trembled 
at the awful sight. I, as it were, scorned, 
and thought, how hard is it to have no hope in 
God ; but I was soon brought to feel that I also 
was but a sinner, and ready for God's wrath 
to destroy me. I was consciously reminded 
when I got home after the shower ; the light- 
ning had struck my barn, and killed a valua- 
ble horse ; shattered the building in a fearful 
manner, but did not burn it; stunned my 
wife and the children in her lap severely. 
Then all my sins returned on me, more than 
ever ; I was made conscious that the wrath 
of God was over me, and if I did not return 
he would cut me down and give my portion, 
which I had long ago justly deserved, even 
eternal punishment ; so I was brought plainly 
to see that God was just and right to give me 
my reward, but was still waiting for my re- 
turn, that I might escape the awful punish- 



46 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

ment. In considering his long-suffering and 
my dreadful sins, I was made very sick, and 
brought to love God for the great mercy that 
still spared my unworthy life ; so I attended 
the revival meetings very regularly, helped 
them sing those songs ; but I was stopped, 
seeing it was not true what I was singing. 
Now I got into great trouble. I could not 
get rest neither day or night, on account of 
my great and mighty sins, which now I 
viewed as being above all measure. I was 
made conscious if I would not come out 
openly and with full purpose of heart, he 
would certainly cut me down. Now the 
world appeared in mourning ; the sun did no 
more shine in brilliancy ; the green vegeta- 
tion appeared to have lost its color ; trees, 
man and beast appeared to look cast down 
and sorrowful ; I could not eat, sleep, or find 
rest anywhere; so I was living for a time, 
not fit to attend to business, wept much, 
prayed much, but all in secret ; Satan woiild 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 47 

Still say, Only let no man know it. Yes, this 
was worse than death to suffer ; then I could 
say with David, '' I am poor and needy, my 
heart is wounded within me, I am gone like 
a shadow when it declineth, I am tossed up 
and down as the locust, my knees are weak 
through fasting, and my flesh faileth fatness ; 
the sorrows of death compassed me, and the 
pains of hell got hold of me ; I found 
trouble and sorrow. O Lord, I beseech thee, 
deliver my soul." 

Willing to do anything to get out of this 
dreadful trouble, I made up my mind to go 
out to the mourners' bench, as it was called, 
and seek relief; but the men carrying 
on the meeting did not know anything 
about my feelings, at least they never said 
anything to me about seeking religion. Thus, 
with the load of condemnation, I attended 
the meeting every night, saying to myself. 
Now I will go out and confess my sins unto 
the Lord. Then the devil would say, Not to- 



48 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

night; wait a little, at least till to-morrow 
night ; it is nearly over now. So I continued 
in this awful condition for several days and 
nights, when I would say to myself, O, fool 
that I was, why did I not jump up and go out 
when I had the chance ; so I was almost wor- 
ried to death, through days and nights, 
between the chances to get out publicly, 
which seemed to be the only remedy left for 
me ; for where I would not go, there seemed 
to be the only place for me to go for relief. 
I formerly despised such a way as that, but 
now I found there was no remedy, but go 
there I must. All this time I was secretly 
praying, weeping, and mourning to be deliv- 
ered from this death ; so one night, Satan 
said, *^ wait a while," until he had almost 
cheated me out of the evening again, when 
I, as it were, gathered all the power within 
me, jumped up and went out, kneeled down 
at the bench with all this mighty load of sin 
upon me, prayed and wept the remaining 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 49 

part of the evening. After the evening's exer- 
cises were over, I was told to keep praying 
earnestly to God to pardon my transgression 
and forgive my sins for Christ's sake; on the 
second night I had no difficulty to go out ; 
as soon as the exercise was begun and an in- 
vitation given, I went out without any trouble 
about waiting a little. Now 'on the second 
night, while I was praying, weeping and 
mourning to be delivered from this dreadful 
lost state and condition, the heaven above 
me, as it were, became lighted up, and I 
began to feel easy and good ; I could thank 
and praise God for removing this horrible 
feeling from me. Then I began to consider, 
if I now go out among my former compan- 
ions and they lead me into sin again, what 
would become of me then ; and while I was 
thinking about this matter (still kneeling at 
the bench), the whole trouble and sorrow and 
burden came back in full power ; so I fell to 
praying, weeping and mourning again, until 
4 



50 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

the close of the evening's exercise, feeling no 
better than I did in the beginning of the 
evening. Then one of the brethren came to 
me, and asked how I felt now; I answered, 
*^ Not well/' *^You had been free to-night 
one time, for I saw it in your countenance/' 
My reply was, '* Yes ; but while I was think- 
ing about the future life all left me again — 
about the danger of falling into sin again." 
*'Why,'' saith he, ^^you must trust in the 
Lord ; he can keep you, you cannot keep 
yourself; '' which truth I had experienced on 
former occasions. So he said, *^ Pray on and 
labor, and if God gives you clear again, rise 
up and thank and praise him and cast your 
care upon him, for he cares for you. ' ' Then 
I went home, lamented, prayed and labored 
with God on account of my sins, until the 
third night. I went out to the bench again, 
prayed, wept, asked God to remove this bur- 
den from me for Christ's sake ; and when 
near the close of the evening's exercise, all at 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 51 

once God took away the black clouds over- 
hanging me, and set me free, and showed me 
the brightness and glory. All my burden and 
sorrow was removed ; I felt happy and good. 
Now there was no more condemnation rest- 
ing upon me, so I got up, and thanked and 
praised God for my deliverance. Now I 
could sing in the spirit and with the under- 
standing also ; now it was true that which I 
sung ; I could sing now, I love Jesus and he 
loves me ; he was now my Jesus, because he 
died for me, died that I might live. Now 
heaven appeared a new heaven, the earth a 
new earth, and God in Christ Jesus pleasant 
for me to behold. There was no more con- 
demnation, no dread and fear of the wrath 
of God \ all had passed away, life was sweet 
unto me; the grass, the trees, appeared once 
more in their living green ; the sun returned 
in its full splendor and glory ; men, women 
and children appeared to be happy. I 
thought even the cattle, fowls and birds in 



52 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

the air appeared to rejoice ; labor went easy ; 
when I went out at night and beheld the 
starry heaven, its great ruler appeared to 
smile. The Saviour saith, the angels rejoice 
over one sinner that repents. I felt light 
like a feather ; would not stumble at anything 
in the dark, because all was life and joy and 
peace ; I was strong. Glory to God in the 
highest when I think of that time, that 
happy day when Jesus washed my sins away. 
I was divorced from the world, and married 
to God through Christ. Well may the poet 
say ; 

" O, how happy are they. 
Who their Saviour ohey. 

And have laid up their treasures above ; 
Tongue cannot express 
The sweet comfort and peace. 

Of a soul in its earliest love. 
Say, will you to Mount Zion go ? 
Say, will you have this Christ or no ?" 

As a first and natural aim, all men do seek 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 53 

after happiness and enjoyment in this life ; 
but take it for granted that there is no real 
happiness and enjoyment fomid in this world 
outside of the religion of Jesus Christ. 
There is still and again a continued emptiness 
or void in the mind and soul of man, that 
cannot be supplied without repentance and 
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith com- 
eth by hearing. Reader, now may God 
bless you to find that which you labor so 
much to find, namely, enjoyment and hap- 
piness in this life ; but take it for granted 
that you cannot find it, unless you learn 
to know the only true and living God, and 
Jesus Christ whom he has sent to save the 
poor and fallen creature, man. This is eter- 
nal life, to know thee, the only true and liv- 
ing God. God saith unto you, Come and 
try me, and see if I will not open the win- 
dows of heaven and pour out such a blessing 
that there will not be room to contain it. 
Now, before closing this part of our little 



54 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

work, let me caution you, sinners and inex- 
perienced professors of religion, if any such 
read this, that you do not mock or speak 
against these things, because you cannot un- 
derstand them ; but fear God, in whose hand 
and power your life and soul is : for when I 
thought I did know some things, I could 
not understand when I saw with mine own 
eyes the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. 
As a matter of course, I saw the effects only. 
I did know a certain preacher who saw these 
effects often, of the outpouring of God's 
Spirit and that on many, and expressed him- 
self in these words, '^ We know that this is 
not the Spirit of God." Whose spirit then 
could it have been ? We know that they 
accused Christ of having a devil, and casting 
out the evil spirits through Beelzebub, the 
prince of devils ; you may read what follows. 
I told him I would not for all the world say 
that, and he should never say it again; and I 
suppose he never did, for he was shortly 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 55 

afterward struck down and died. God did 
silence his tongue for ever in this world. 
Now that every one must be exercised in 
their repentance as I was in all things, let no 
one think, because experience teaches differ- 
ently ; but this must be true, that no one can 
be found that was not lost, and no one can 
repent that is not a sinner. Christ did not 
come to call the righteous, but sinners to 
repentance. To save that which was lost, 
such was his mission, such is his purpose 
now, and such will it be till the end of 
time ; and a man's repentance is not fin- 
ished until he finds his peace with God ; 
it he falls into sin he must repent again, if 
God gives him the power to do it. And 
God had mercy upon me, for I had not re- 
ceived the Holy Ghost ; only since my last 
repentance, I was repeatedly baptized with it. 
, God the Father is the power, Jesus Christ is 
the intercessor, and the Holy Ghost is 
the messenger that conveys and reveals whaj 



56 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

hath been accomplished in the courts of 
heaven to the penitent. Christ's own words 
are : '^ Ye must be born again ;" ^' Except a 
man is born again he cannot see the king- 
dom of heaven," or of God ; and again, '^Ex- 
cept a man is born of water and the spirit, he 
cannot enter into the kingdom of God/' 
Forget it ?iot, forget it not. 



PART SECOND. 

DISCIPLINE AND TRAINING FOR 
THE ETERNAL WORLD. 



^TOW we are justified, now we are con- 
^ verted, now we are regenerated and 
sanctified in our minds, we are born again 
through the power of the spirit of God ; now 
we know that we have passed from death 
unto life, because we love the brethren (that 
is, the people of God) ; for he that is be- 
gotten loveth them that are begotten, for we 
are divorced from, the world and are espoused 
unto Jesus Christ, for through him have we 
found our peace with God. Now all is love, 
all is joy, peace and happiness. We think 
we can never displease God and Christ any- 
more for ever. Thus we travel on for some- 
time, without carefulness, because God is all 
(57) 



58 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

and in all. We take no scrip, no purse, no 
shoes, neither sword with us, nor is anything 
wanting; for God is with us, and we do as 
occasion serves us. We cannot mourn, be- 
cause the Bridegroom is with us. We are 
like unto a new-married pair according to the 
flesh ; they travel on in joy, in peace and hap- 
piness, having no knowledge at all of the dif- 
ficulties, conflicts, trials, sorrows and suffer- 
ings, and the various disappointments that 
they will meet through after life. " Again, 
we are as an infant, that hath every thing 
done by its parents that is required, and is 
held safely in its mother's lap, knowing no 
wants, but all is peace and joy. But now 
cometh the washing of regeneration by and 
through the word of God ; and this is a great 
work, to put off the old man, who is defiled 
through lust and ignorance, and to put on 
the new man, who is formed after the image 
of God, in righteousness and true holiness. 
Jesus said, '^ When I sent you out, ye wanted 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 59 

nothing; but now, he that hath a purse let 
him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he 
that hath no sword, let him sell his garment 
and buy one. God in early days spoke 
through the prophet about this work, Pro- 
claim ye among the Gentiles, prepare war, 
wake up the mighty men, let all the men of 
war draw near, beat your plough-shares into 
swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears ; 
let the weak say, I am strong" (to fight the 
battle of the Lord). Jesus saith, '' Ye which 
have followed me in the regeneration, when 
the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his 
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, 
judging the twelves tribes of Israel." 

Now, if we review man naturally, we find 
he was born a child, and grows up to boy- 
hood, then to a young man, and some to old 
fathers and mothers. We ask not of a child 
that which belongs to boyhood, neither of a 
boy that which belongs to a man, nor of 
young men that which belongs to old fathers 



6o THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

and mothers ; for their various capacities or 
abilities have not come to maturity ; they 
will be accomplished and taught during the 
number of their years. So likewise is man 
exercised by divine grace ; hence cometh the 
doctrine of concision ; of such it is said we 
should beware. Finally, my brethren, rejoice 
in the Lord ; to write the same thing in- 
deed is not grievous, but to you it is safe ; 
beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, 
beware of the concision. Now, who are dogs 
but those who bark at every person and 
everything but their own? — and this is the na- 
ture of dogs, one barking will set all the dogs 
barking in a neighborhood. Who are the evil 
workers, but those who select passages of 
Scripture, to carry out their vain minds, and 
cause divisions and disputings with vain bab- 
blings, and neglect the more important work, 
to have their peace with God through Christ, 
and walk with him in fear and humility? 
Who are of the concision, but such as are 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN." 6 1 

mentioned in holy writ ? — they said, get thee 
away, I am holy and thou art a sinner ; I am 
right, but thou art in error. God by the 
prophet saith, such are as smoke to the eyes 
and brimstone to the nostrils; mark all things 
that are written for the man of God, and do 
that which is in thy power to do with thy 
might; but if thou do these things to be saved 
they will not save thee, and if thou do them 
not thou wilt not be saved. Thou art inex- 
cusable,0 man, whosoever thou art that judgest 
another, for in that thou judgest another 
thou condemnest thyself; or despisest thou the 
long suffering of God, not knowing that the 
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? 
And if thou art no vain person nor open 
sinner, know this, that thou hast no right- 
eousness of thine own to save thee, for if 
thou hast any righteousness it is of the Lord ; 
thou didst receive it, namely, the power of 
the Lord to overcome sin. Be thankful there- 
fore, and be not high minded. 



62 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

Love is stronger than death. This was 
frequently exhibited by the first Christians, 
and many escaped further discipline and 
training, by being cut off and received into 
glory in their first love. What workings^ 
what sufferings, what sorrows, what conflicts 
and prayers to God, had the Apostle Paul 
with his children, until Christ was formed m 
them, as he called it ! No wonder he spoke 
of the sin that so easily beset us, which would 
say. Let them alone ; they are attached to 
their idols ; why should I labor any longer ? 
I am the Lord's, — forgetting that we too are 
saved by Jesus Christ only, and if so be that 
we have received a goodly portion of grace, 
it is to benefit others and not ourselves only. 
O, that God would give us wisdom and an 
understanding heart ; yea, I say, who can see 
the great and mysterious works of God? — 
tongue cannot express that which we do 
know, and we see that we know nothing at 
all yet of what we ought to know. 



f 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 63 

My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, 
prepare thy soul for temptation, set thy heart 
aright, and constantly endure, and make not 
haste in the time of trouble. Cleave to 
the Lord, and depart not from his precepts, 
that thou mayest be increased at the latter 
end. Whatever is brought upon thee, take it 
cheerfully, and be patient. When thou art 
changed to a low estate — for gold is tried in 
the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace 
of adversity — believe in him, and he will 
help thee ; order thy way aright and trust in 
him ; ye that fear the Lord, wait for his 
mercy ; go not aside, lest ye fall ; believe in 
him, and your reward shall not fail. He 
that feareth the Lord will honor his father, 
and do service to his parents as to his mas- 
ters. Again, honor thy father and mother, 
both in word and in deed; for the blessing 
of the father establishes the houses of the 
children, but the curse of the mother rooteth 
out foundations. For death and bloodshed, 



64 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

Strife and sword, calamities, famine, tribula- 
tion and the scourge, are created for the dis- 
obedient and wicked, and for their sakes the 
flood came. Fire and water, thunder and 
lightning, storm and hail and wild beasts, 
shall destroy the wicked, but it shall not 
come near the righteous ; therefore fear to be 
wicked. 

Now unto those who are of the household 
of faith, and in the religion of Jesus Christ, 
I would say with the apostle, I would that 
you knew what great conflict I have for you 
(although you have not seen my face accord- 
ing to the flesh, and probably never will), 
that God will have mercy upon you, to keep 
your minds through Christ unto full salva- 
tion, so that we may not measure ourselves 
by ourselves, neither by other brothers and 
sisters, nor in any church, but walk honor- 
ably and uprightly before God in Christ Jesus, 
in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom 
and knowledge; and glory in the Lord, to 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 65 

seek to do that which is well pleasing in his 
sight ; for indeed the spirit is willing, but the 
flesh is weak ; but God hath promised to be 
mighty in the weak ; and now, if we have 
risen with, Christ, we seek those things which 
are above, where Christ sitteth at the right 
hand of God. We set our affections on 
things above, and not on things on the earth, 
lor we are dead, and our life is hid with 
Christ in God. When he who is our life 
shall appear, then shall we also appear with 
him in glory. Then let us mortify our mem- 
bers which are upon the earth, from fornica- 
tion, uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil 
lusts, and covetousness which is idolatry, for 
which thing's sake the wrath of God cometh 
on the children of disobedience; in the 
which we walked also at one time, when we 
lived in them. But now let us put off all 
these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy 
communication out of our mouth ; lie not one 
to another, lest our peace be marred, seeing 
5 



66 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

we have put off the old man with his deeds, 
and have put on the new man, which is re- 
newed in knowledge after him that created 
him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, 
circumcision nor uncircumcision. Barbarian, 
Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all and 
in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, 
holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, 
humbleness of mind, meekness, forbearing 
one another, and forgiving one another; if 
any have a quarrel against any, even as 
Christ forgave us, so let us forgive one 
another ; and above all these things put on 
charity, which is the bond of perfectness, 
and let the peace of God rule in our hearts, 
to the which we are called into one body 
(indeed invisible to the sight of man, but vis- 
ible in the sight of God, and to prove this we 
need only to refer to Elias the prophet, who 
had knowledge far above us, yet he could not 
see God's elect people) ; and be ye thankful. 
Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 67 

all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one 
another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual 
songs, singing with grace in our hearts to 
the Lord ; and whatsoever we do, in word or 
deed, we do all in the name of the Lord 
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the father by 
him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your 
own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord ; hus- 
bands, love your wives, and be not bitter 
against them ; children, obey your parents in 
all things, for this is well pleasing unto the 
Lord ; fathers, provoke not your children to 
anger, lest they should be discouraged ; ser- 
vants, obey in all things your masters accord- 
ing to the flesh, not with eye-service as men 
pleasers, but with singleness of heart fearing 
God ; and whatsoever you do, do it heartily, 
as to the Lord, and not as unto man, know- 
ing that of the Lord you shall receive the re- 
ward of the inheritance, for you serve the 
Lord Christ ; but he that doeth wrong shall 
receive for the wrong which he hath done, and 



68 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

there is no respect of persons. Walk in wis- 
dom toward them that are without religion, 
redeeming the time ; let your speech be always 
with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may 
know how you ought to answer every man. 

The various sinful habits and uncomelinesses 
remaining in our bodies naturally, being con- 
trary to a strictly religious life, must be 
brought into subjection to the will of God, 
which is not hid any more from our eyes, 
although such were lying dormant for a little 
while, while we were in a glorified state of 
happiness and enjoyment on account of being 
set free from our sins, and the heavy burden 
which rested upon us for the sins and misdo- 
ings of the past, some of which have already 
been mentioned. Now the first thing Satan 
will bring up is, that all is naught and we 
are not saved, because we fail to accomplish 
that which we think we will do ; thus the 
conflict will begin. We are now to begin to 
walk, and our walk is not in darkness, for 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 69 

now we see, whereas before we were blind. 
As we naturally see, when the child begins to 
walk, it glories in it, but unexpectedly it 
falls ; the parent stretches forth the hand and 
helps it up again, and the child proceeds as 
before with joy ; but soon it falls again, and 
by and by it is hurt and becometh fretful, 
and begins to fear the fall ; but by the cheer- 
ing of the parents, and the help offered, it 
ventures on again and again, until it leains 
to walk ] and by exercise it not only gets 
stronger, but gains courage to proceed. But 
we must not forget that the child is fed and 
nourished to become stronger in body all 
this time it is thus exercised ; and thus, when 
we begin to walk with God in Christ, we do 
not get very far until there is a fall or blun- 
der made unexpectedly. We look up as if 
something was about, and say, ^^Lord, forgive 
me; this I will not again commit; I will 
watch closely;" but it will not be long until 
the same doth befall you ; there will be 



70 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

something else, perhaps worse than the first, 
and you begin to think about that which Satan 
told you, that you are not saved from sin. But 
pray on ; look up to Christ ; he is the father 
of the fatherless and as a husband to the 
v>-idow ; he will help you to overcome shortly, 
at least some of the things that are in your 
way, by which you will be encouraged. 
When the Israelites were bitten with the 
fiery serpents, they were ordered to look 
upon the brazen serpent v>'hich v»'as put up on 
a pole, and they that did look up did not 
die, but they that did not look all died. 
Now, these failings are like the fiery serpents ; 
they bite our souls, and we feel it ; now we 
must likewise look up to Jesus, and shall not 
die. But now we go on, and one failing or 
misdoing follows another ; we are bit and 
healed again and again, and the more we 
come short the worse we feel ; it creates 
within us a great caution and strong resolu- 
tion to withstand. Now not being able to 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 7 1 

accomplish that which we think must be 
done, we naturally and continually flee to the 
Lord for help, saying, ^^ Lord, help, or I 
perish;" then we learn, and then only, the 
great truth, ^' without me you can do noth- 
ing." Then, as many and mighty things 
present themselves from time to time, Jesus 
will give us the power to overcome some of 
those things in which we so often had failed, 
and as completely as if we never had any 
trial with them. This, then, gives a sure tes- 
timony that we really have received the 
power from above; yes, so completely is sin 
under our power that we really are astonished 
when we think over the past — God himself 
hath really removed it out of our way. David 
said, ^'the testimonies of the Lord are sure, 
the testimonies of the Lord establish me." 
Now, while we are thus disciplined and 
trained for the eternal world to come, we 
have seasons when all is well, and we greatly 
rejoice in the peace and love of God, sq 



72 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

much so that we can say Avith the apostle to 
be absent from the body, and present with 
the Lord would be far better^ knowing the 
joys, sweetness and pleasantness of his pres- 
ence ; and w^hile we are thus contemplating, 
he giveth us light to look around us, to see 
the great work that is to be done, and that it 
must be done by his servants in this world. 
God in Christ Jesus maketh use of various 
means, in the perfecting of his saints, by his 
word and ministers from without, and by his 
spirit within. 

Now it becometh necessary for us to know 
the judgment of God in Christ Jesus, and 
with this judgment no man can judge but for 
himself only. God spake through the prophet 
enough for us to know and learn that we are 
not able to judge one another with his judg- 
ment ; but as far as it is necessary for us to 
judge, he hath laid down a judgment for us, 
''By their fruits ye shall know them; " and 
this is the judgment he hath given unto us. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 73 

according to the seeing eye and the hearing 
ear. But the judgment of God in Christ is 
not so ; he shall not judge according to the 
seeing eye and the hearing ear, but righteous 
judgment shall the Lord judge ; a bruised 
reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax 
shall he not quench. Now from this judg- 
ment given unto man arise all our difficulties, 
divisions and disputings, not considering the 
judgment of God in Christ Jesus ; and the 
more so, when we consider our readiness to 
judge others, taking the seat as judge, and 
not considering what and who we are, but 
considering ourselves as competent judges 
for others ; and not us only, but men who 
live in sin and open rebellion against God. 
Who that hath any eyes hath not seen this ? 
The Apostle Paul warned us much not to 
judge one another; he saith, ^^ Judge nothing 
before the time is ;" again, '^What have I to 
do with another's servant? to his master he 
standeth or falleth, and he is able to hold him 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

up." Jesus saith, '^ Judge not, lest ye be 
judged j for with what judgment ye judge, 
you shall be judged, and with what measure 
ye mete, it shall be measured unto you 
again." Alercy is set against judgment, and 
he that sheweth no mercy shall have no 
mercy, and he that leadeth into captivity 
shall go into captivity. 

And here is another mystery. All men 
have not the knowledge to use this world's 
goods ; they have not the capacity to handle 
it ; hence comes forth judgment unto con- 
demnation by both parties. For instance, 
one man gathers money and makes money 
with it or out of it ; the other man may have 
money, and make money beside that which he 
hath, and yet all is dead stock until it is all 
consumed and he becometh poor ; and how 
shall he live a righteous life? But all appears 
to be in the hand of the Lord ; for it is 
written, ^' It is an easy thing for the Lord to 
make the rich poor and the poor rich." One 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 75 

man's income is unsufficient for his expense, 
and he becometh poor, and another man's 
income overruns his expense, and though 
poor, he will become rich ; and both these 
men are religious, and deal honestly with 
their fellow-men. Now the man that becom- 
eth poor, or is poor from the beginning, if he 
doth not pay his honest debts, we condemn 
him as an unrighteous man, without regard 
to his willingness if he had the means to pay. 
The better class, if we may call them such, say 
he is no godly man, or he would not thus be 
lacking — amounting to what the apostle said, 
they think worldly gain is godliness. I have 
known sober and industrious men, who 
labored hard all their lifetime and raised a 
family, who began with nothing and when 
they died left less than nothing. (The 
Saviour said, the poor you will have always 
with you, and if you wish you can do them 
good, but me you will not have always.) 



76 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

Then there are others who, Solomon said, 
will gather riches to their own hurt. 

I will now endeavor to give you some ex- 
periences of my training in the service of the 
Lord. Not many years after my public con- 
version, there was a certain young man, who 
was held by all very high on account of his 
ability and grace, and Satan got the better 
of hmi so that he fell into an abominable sin, 
into which the young are most liable to fall. 
I never had such sympathy for any one in my 
life, and I prayed to God in great lamenta- 
tion, asking God why he did not let me fall 
in his stead ; that I was of no account to the 
church, and this man could not be spared ; 
and as I was praying, humbling myself in 
ashes, the heaven above me opened, and 
these were the words that were spoken. 
Those that keep my comma7tdnients will not 
fall into such things, and all closed up again. 
I was frightened and got up from my knees ; 
I did not need to ask, '' who art thou? " for 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 77 

I knew it was the Lord. Now I could not 
jpvRy for him any more in that manner ; but 
he hath repented long since, and whether 
he got to be the same useful man any more I 
cannot tell, for I have not seen him for 
many years. 

The next I will relate was the transfigura- 
tion of this body ; it was on a pentecostal day, 
or on a whitsuntide : I was away from home, 
waiting upon a woman, and there was much 
time ; and being far from home, I requested 
a room upstairs to myself, and while there 
alone, I lifted my eyes heavenward, and I was 
filled with the Holy Ghost, and was led out 
in the spirit, and was shown the many hard- 
ships that I must suffer, and fell into the 
hands of thieves and murderers ; at last I was 
delivered out of their hands, and soon I was 
on the summit of a large peak or hill, cov- 
ered over with beautiful green grass. I was 
hardly right on the round top, when the 
heaven opened over my head, and the light 



78 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

of the glory of God came around me, and 
stood in great pillars all aromid the mount,, 
me in the middle, the light still becoming 
more intense, until the green grass lost all its 
color, my hair, my hands and my clothes, be- 
came whiter than anything white I ever saw ; 
then the angels came marching with their 
music, and that was such music that no man 
can describe ; I had heard some of the best 
music that the world can afford or produce 
before, but it was as nothing at all to the an- 
gels' music on this occasion. Now I found 
myself falling or going upward (a great fear 
came over me, and yet I felt inexpressibly 
happy) j I grasped hold of the grass, to hold 
myself from getting nearer to the presence of 
God. At this moment I was carried back 
into my room. Now when I found I was 
again in this world, the water rushed out of 
my eyes and ran down my cheeks in such a 
stream as it never did before nor since, be- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 79 

cause of my being again in this world of 
trouble and sorrow. 

Years rolled on^ and the weight and re- 
sponsibility resting upon me in the various 
positions I held in the church, I thought I 
could no longer bear, as my body was giving 
way. I did not dare to exercise in public any 
more, on account of spitting blood, owing to 
straining of my lungs ; and in much heavi- 
ness of mind, I prayed unto God to grant 
unto me leave of this branch of his household 
by a certain sign, and it was given. I with- 
drew and attached myself to another branch 
as a lay member, so that I would not have 
the burden of the church on me, but I was 
not long there until the Lord used me again 
as an instrument in his hands. But I was 
like -Jonah, I would not go until he used his 
rod heavy on me (I knew if I were to attend 
to such matters that they would hate me) ; 
but at last I was compelled to go forward. I 
saw the bread cast unto the dogs, and the 



8o THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

children wanting bread ; so I attended unto 
small matters from time to time as the Lord 
gave, but in such a way that I should not be- 
come offensive unto them. The Lord not 
being well pleased, he took me into a vision, 
and thus it was like (on a beautiful evening, 
the moon shining bright). A man was kneel- 
ing in the clouds, with his face turned 
toward heaven, looking up ; his left hand 
stretched up as if in the act of receiving 
something, but his right hand bent down as 
if in the act of making a desperate grasp of 
what is below. I told the vision unto them, 
and left them to judge for themselves. Not 
long after this, I was upon my bed, asleep j a 
voice in a loud tone said, ^^Know it is not 
the richest ground that grows the best 
wheat." I awoke and looked around the 
room to see who it was that spoke, but there 
was none in the room. I lived on for some 
time, still called upon to come and labor 
with my former companions in the Lord, but 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 8 1 

as I would not, the Lord visited me with a 
heavy scourge, took away my companion, 
and brought me down to the threshold of 
death ; I expected to die, and suffered it pa- 
tiently. . Then one day as I was sitting 
in my chair, the word from the Lord came 
unto me, '^ Why will you thus die and not 
serve me? " I looked up, as it were, consid- 
ering that I loved peace and my ease too 
well. I answered, ^* If thou wilt heal me, I 
will take up thy burden upon me again ; but 
do thou give me strength to bear up under 
it." So he soon healed me, and I went to 
work again. Let all the world think and 
say what they please, I know whom I serve. 
Solomon saith, he that increaseth knowl- 
edge increaseth sorrow, and you will find 
this to be true ; for he that hath knowledge is 
like the rich man with gold ; he is poor, yea 
very poor. My dear friend, if you undertake 
to draw nigh unto God, you must be in 
great fear and watchfulness j for our God is a 
6 



82 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

consuming fire to a sinner; God hath told by 
the prophet, that your sins and misdoings 
separate between you and your God. 

SANCTIFICATION. 
I will not say much at this place, but I 
will give the apostle's instruction: ^^God hath, 
from the beginning, chosen you to salvation, 
through the sanctification of the spirit and the 
belief of the truth." Then it appears it is 
the gift of God, through Christ offering him- 
self up for us. Again, ^^ Who will condemn ? 
it is the blood of Christ that sanctifieth." 
Then we say, we were born again, through 
the spirit and power of God ; not by being 
persuaded by man, or by the will of man, 
nor from the fear of the punishment of the 
law, because this would be a legal repent- 
ance and would soon wear off; but by the 
love and power of God, because he first 
loved us, in that he did not cut us off, as we 
justly had deserved, and forgave us our sins. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 83 

It was he that gave us the power to believe 
the truth ; it was he that sent the spirit of 
God to testify unto our spirit that we are de- 
livered from our sins, and filled our hearts 
with the; love of God, that we were made to 
cry out, '' our Father and our God," and if 
he become our father, then are we his sons, 
born unto him and sanctified by the blood of 
Jesus Christ, who came into the world, 
suffered and died in our stead, and rose again 
for our justification, and liveth that we shall 
live also with him. Then, as the apostle 
said, we were chosen and sanctified from the 
beginning ; but now we speak more particu- 
larly of what sanctification is. It is that 
work of grace, by which we are renewed after 
the image of God, set apart for his service, 
and enabled to die unto sin and live unto 
righteousness. It must be carefully consid- 
ered in a twofold light ; first as an inestima- 
ble privilege granted unto us from God 
(Thess. V. 23), and second, as an all-compre- 



84 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

hensive duty, required of us by his holy 
word (Thess. iv. 3). It is distinguished from 
justification thus : Justification changes our 
state before God as a judge ; sanctifica- 
tion changes our hearts and lives before him 
as a Father. Justification precedes, and sanc- 
tification follows. Tiie surety, the righteous- 
ness of Christ imputed, is our justifying 
righteousness; but the grace of God im- 
planted is the matter of our sanctification. 
Justification is done at once, sanctification is 
gradual ; and yet justification and sanctifica- 
tion are inseparably connected in the prom- 
ises of God (Rom. viii. 28,30), in the covenant 
of grace (Heb. viii. 10, 12), in the doctrine 
and promise of the gospel (Acts v. 31), and 
in the experience of true believers (i Cor. 
vi. 11). First, sanctification is a divine work, 
as already stated, and not begun or carried 
on by the power of man (Tit. i. 5-9) ; 
Second, it is a progressive work, and not per- 
fected at once (Prov. iv. 18) ; Third, it is an 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 8$ 

internal work, not consisting in external pro- 
fession or bare morality (Psalms Ivi. 5) ; and 
fourth, it is necessary work, necessary as to 
the evidence of our state, the honor of our 
character, the usefulness of our lives, the 
happiness of our minds, and the eternal en- 
joyment of God's presence in a future world 
(Job iii. 3; Heb. xii. 14). 

Sanctification is known, ist, by a holy 
reverence (Neh. v. 5) ; 2d, by an earnest re- 
gard or zeal (Sam. iii. 24); 3d, by patient 
submission (Psalms xxxix. 9); sanctification 
is nothing less, than for a man to be brought 
to entire resignation to the will of God, and to 
offer up his soul as a whole burnt-offering to 
Christ ; 4th, it is known by an increased 
hatred to sin (Psalms cxix,i33) ; 5th, by com- 
munion with God (Isa. xxi. 8 ); 6th, by a de- 
light in his word and ordinances (Psalms 
xxvii. 4) ; 7th, by humility (Job, xlii. 5, 6) ; 
8th, by holy confidence (Psalms xxvii. 4) ; 



86 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

9th, by praise to God (Psalms ciii. i) ; and 
loth, by uniform obedience (John xv. 8.) 

There are certain duties imposed upon us, 
which are acceptable before God and with 
man ; for if there be first a willing mind, 
it is accepted according that a man hath, 
and not to that which he hath not ; for I 
mean not that others be eased and you bur- 
dened, but now at this time, that your 
abundance may be a supply to their wants, 
that there may be an equality among you, and 
that you may help each other in the time of 
need. As it is written, he that gathered 
much had nothing over, and he that gathered 
little had no lack ; so then it is the duty of 
the people of God to be in union, and riot a 
brother with evil heart go out among world- 
lings with his dealings, and forsake his 
brother, because he is required to deal justly 
with him, or fall into the counsel of the 
brethren. How often do we see this done ! 
It is nothing short of casting your bread unto 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 87 

dogs, and letting the children want ; it is not 
love, which scripture bids you to love in 
deed ; but will you rather love in word only, 
and lose your soul through much covetous- 
ness ? Be careful : the judgment of God 
is according to the intents and desires of the 
heart ; there is nothing hid or in secret that 
shall not be made manifest in the day of the 
Lord. Some brethren of different denomina- 
tions have told me, that they would rather 
deal with outsiders or sinners than with their 
brethren, on account of false brethren, who 
will accuse you, no matter how you deal with 
them; I say, let them be admonished to walk 
in the fear of God, and suffer with them, 
that they may be saved in the end ; because 
our work is with God through Christ to save 
sinners, (and if there is love undefiled no 
one will suffer beyond measure,) and not to 
be bitter against them, but have charity, 
which hopeth all things, believeth all things, 
and endureth all things. It is easy to lose 



88 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

that which thou hast, if there be a willing 
mind ; and that which thou . hast not, thou 
canst not lose. Again, it may be permitted 
for thy trial; and shalt thou prove thyself 
unworthy? He that doeth wrong shall re- 
ceive reward of the Lord, but pray for him 
that God will not mete out a severe punish- 
ment; for I tell you, if thou art true, God 
will draw the rod across him speedily ; ex- 
perience hath taught me this. The Saviour 
said, Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harm- 
less as doves ; Solomon saith. Let us hear the 
conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God 
and keep his commandments, for God shall 
bring every work unto judgment, with every 
secret thing, whether it be good or whether 
it be evil. Again, the Lord hath shewed 
thee, O man, what is good ; and what doth 
the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, 
and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy 
God ? Now concerning the doctrine of 
Christ, the Saviour said, If any man will 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 89 

do the will of God, he shall know of the doc- 
trine whether it be of God, or whether I 
speak of myself. 

In the discipline and training for the eter- 
nal world, we find some things which we 
have in our power to do, while there are 
others for which we must have the power 
from God through Christ, or we cannot do 
them. These are things which we can do : 
if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and 
cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee 
that one of thy members should perish, and 
not thy whole body be cast into hell ; and if 
thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast 
it from thee, for it is profitable for thee that 
one of thy members should perish, and not 
thy whole body should be cast into hell ; and 
if thy right foot offend thee, cut it off and 
cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee 
that one of thy members should perish, and 
not thy whole body be cast into hell. When 
doth our eye offend us ? When we look 



90 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

upon the things we naturally desire to have, 
on that which is appreciable in the sight of 
man or the worldly mind, and is not becom- 
ing to a true Christian. AVe read, and 
Christ teaches us, that which is high and ap- 
preciable in the eyes of man is an abomina- 
tion unto God ; then we see such things are 
offensive, and we have it in our power not to 
get it. Now there is self-denial for us, not to 
allojvjourselves the pleasure, because it is dis- 
pleasing to God ; thus the eye is plucked out 
and cast away. Now, if I obey this not, 
what is the difference between me and the 
one which is under the curse and wrath of 
God, who hath the threatening of God to be 
cast into hell, if he turn not from his idols? 
No man is in Christ Jesus any further than he 
obeys. The right hand in the same way ; it 
only becometh the right and foremost hand, 
when it reacheth for the things it should not ; 
it is naturally ready to receive, but not so 
ready to give (although it is written it is more 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 9 1 

blessed to give than to receive), and not only 
thus, but even ready to receive that which 
belongeth unto others ; and thus it becometh 
offensive according to the inner man. This 
must be denied ; this kind of a hand must be 
cut off and cast away ; for we are required to 
deal justly, and do that which is right before 
God and man. Likewise our foot becometh 
the right foot, when according to the natural 
inclinations it would walk to places where 
the ungodly have their pastime and enjoy- 
ment — to places where God is not glorified, 
and where we are made no better fitted for 
heaven. Here then is a self-denial ; this foot 
must be cut off and cast from us. All these 
things in an outward way we have in our 
power to prevent, and please God in all these 
things. He that glories, let him glory in the 
Lord ; for if we are crucified unto the world 
and the world is crucified unto us, how shall 
we have pleasure and pastime among sinners, 
except in their salvation ? And there are 



92 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

the ordinances of our Lord and Saviour, 
which are in our power to do (and that I 
might be of advantage unto those who desire 
the whole truth, all theologians or learned 
men in Scripture agree, that where the pre- 
cept is given and the example shown, such 
shall be done to the honor and glory of God 
in Christ). Now after repentance, for then 
only can we believe, water baptism is the 
first. In this we have the precept and exam- 
ple of our Saviour, that it was a righteousness 
to be fulfilled, representing washing and 
cleansing, and that in the water ; for the first 
one hundred years, no one knew anything 
else, nor attempted to change the practice. 
The breaking and eating of bread, we also 
have by precept and example ; '' This is my 
body that is broken for you ;" the wine cup 
by precept and example, " Take, drink ye all 
of it ; this is my blood that is shed for many, 
for the remission of sins;" and the washing 
of feet, by precept and example, to remember 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 93 

his humility in coming into the flesh; ^^ As 
oft as you do this, do it in remembrance of 
me." Now, these things are in our power to 
do. So far as it concerns us externally, to 
what benefit ? Much every way, because he 
established them for us to be exercised 
thereby; but they that are wise in themselves, 
unlearned and unstable, wrest these, as 
they do also many other Scriptures, to 
their own damnation, as Peter hath said. 
Now these things we say are in our power to 
do, to prevent evil and fulfill many outward 
things ; but it takes nothing less than the 
power of God to quench internal evil, and 
fulfill in our souls and spirits the proper 
thing. The apostle includes the whole matter 
under three heads to be overcome by the 
Christian ; the lust of the eye, the lust of the 
flesh and the pride of life ; and these appear 
to be burning fires in man. Thus we find 
men who have become so habituated and 
hardened, that they must by prayer receive 



94 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

from God the power to overcome and eradi- 
cate themselves from those strong and wrong- 
formed habits. 

Then again there are many things that 
we have no power at all, as in saving 
one another, etc.; but this we have got, 
we can tell each other of our exercise in 
the work, and thereby encourage each other, 
and instruct each other ; which I find of 
great benefit, because of our short-mindedness 
and forgetfulness, through our engagement in 
temporal duties, which must be carried along ; 
as it is written, '^ He that provideth not for 
his own household hath denied the faith and 
is worse than an infidel;" again, ^^ He that 
laboreth not, shall not eat;" we shall not eat 
the bread of idleness. 

CONSCIENCE. 
Conscience signifies knowledge in conjunc- 
tion with the facts to which it is a witness, 
as the eye is to the action done before it ; a 
double or joint knowledge, namely, of a 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 95 

divine law or rule. It is that part of the 
soul that will remain for ever. Conscience has 
been considered first natural, or that common 
principle which instructs men of all countries 
and religions in the duties to which they are 
all alike obligated. There seems to be some- 
thing of this in the minds of all men, even in 
the darkest regions of the earth, and among 
the rudest tribes of men ; a distinction has 
ever been made between just and unjust, a 
duty and a crime. Second, a right conscience 
is that which decides aright, or according to 
the only rule of rectitude, the law of God ; 
this is a well-informed conscience, which in 
all its decisions proceeds upon the most evi- 
dent principle of truth. Third, a probable 
conscience is that which admits of the bright- 
est and fullest light, and contents itself with 
probabilities ; the consciences of many are of 
no higher character. Fourth, an ignorant 
conscience, or that which declares aright, 
but as it were by chance, without any just 



g6 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

ground to build upon. Fifth, an erroneous 
conscience, is a conscience mistaken in its de- 
cision about the nature of actions ; and how 
strong do we see men in this kind of con- 
science ! — yes, so strong as to risk the loss of 
their own souls, by not paying strict atten- 
tion to all that God hath said. Sixth, 
a double conscience, unresolved about the 
nature of things and actions, on account of 
the nearly equal probabilities which appear 
for and against each side of the question. 
Seventh, an evil conscience, in regard to 
actions generally ; it is evil when it has lost 
more or less the sense it ought to have of the 
natural distinctions of moral good and evil ; 
this is a deluded or defiled conscience — when 
reflecting upon wickedness it feels no pain — it 
is evil, and said to be seared or hardened, 
I Tim. iv. 2 ; it is also evil when during 
the commission of sin it lies quiet ; in regard 
to future actions, it is evil if it doth not 
startle at the proposal of sin. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 97 

A good rule is, keep the love of God in your 
soul ; which you cannot do unless you keep 
all that which he hath told you, as far as is in 
your power to do, and that only will preserve 
you a pure conscience ; for he that loveth 
God will keep his sayings, and there is no 
further conscience need be established. But 
conscience can be defiled ; trust it not without 
the word of God ; look at the men that cast 
themselves under the car of Juggernaut, how 
strong their conscience is ! But, you say, I 
have a good conscience toward God ; I know 
that he hath pardoned my transgressions and 
hath forgiven my sins. I say, can he deny 
that which he hath promised ? If thou come 
and confess thy sins, he will forgive them, 
and whenever and as often as thou comest in 
the way he hath appointed. But, O man, 
dost thou not consider that he is also a just 
God, and will hold a final reckoning with 
you? and will not your condemnation be 
only the greater, when thou hast much re- 
7 



g8 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

ceived and hast nothing m the end? Thus 
if we continually receive and bury it with 
sin again, and not put to usury, but consume it 
in our lusts as we go along, what will we have 
at the final settlement, when we shall give an 
account of that which we have received, and 
have nothing to show? Will he say, *^ Thou 
hast been faithful over little, I will set thee 
over much?" I trow not. On the other 
hand, have we become better men, more use- 
ful in the world, and a shining light and 
help to his cause? Have we become truly 
honest before God and man ? Have we be- 
come more righteous in our dealings w^ith our 
fellowman, and learned to speak the truth at 
all times? Have w^e made a proper use of 
the privileges and means, that we have so 
long enjoyed, to learn that which we must do 
to stand the final test ? Or have we lived 
heedless and careless, and drifted along w^ith 
the world when outside of the church walls, 
and not improved our talent, but enjoyed our- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 99 

selves in the things of this world, forgetting 
God ? Do we not see, he that overcomeeth 
shall inherit all things? He did overcome, 
and promised the power unto us, that we 
shall also overcome these things. Now to 
what purpose are a set of carpenter's tools, if 
he doth not make use of them ? So likewise 
is Christ unto us, if we do not make use of his 
promised power, and the means he hath 
appointed for us to be exercised in. ^^Yes, 
but I have a hope, a good hope.'' The sin- 
ner and the wicked hath a hope also ; but the 
hope of the wicked shall perish, it shall not 
stand. There are only four actual steps 
down to hell, and how natural it goeth ! The 
first is debt, the second is lying, the third is 
stealing, and the fourth is murder. 

Now in conclusion I would simply add, 
that the Scripture and our experience in 
these exercises must correspond and agree 
together, and that not a certain part or por- 
tion ; man is so apt to select such passages as 



lOO THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAxV. 

will carry him out in the principle he hath 
built upon, but the whole matter must be 
reconciled, or our foundation will not stand 
the test in that great day. That our disci- 
pline and training may be the better under- 
stood, the child of God is born a child and 
groweth up to a youth, then to a man, and 
then to an old father and mother in Christ. 
In a natural point of view we see these facts, 
but in a spiritual point of view we have not ; 
at least I, for one, have not yet come to that 
old age that I desire. The apostle said. Not 
that I have attained to it, but I run after it 
that I may attain to it. Let me caution my- 
self and all, what the Saviour said, ^' He that 
hath my commandments and keepeth them, 
he it is that loveth me.'* Now be it known 
that we are all naturally very uneven, and if 
we really see this, we put no confidence in 
ourselves, lest our eyes be closed and our 
knowledge become lacking ; but let us search, 
pray and trust in the Lord, and walk in his 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 10 1 

ways, which must alone be the rule of our 
life; than it matters not what this man doeth, 
or what this or that one may think or 
say, the whole course lies between me and 
my God, and between you and your God — it 
is strictly personal, for every one shall render 
his or her own account, and not one for 
another. See, I have told you as a faithful 
servant ; therefore the things which are in our 
power to do, let us do them without missing 
one, for he that is guilty of one is guilty of 
the whole, saith the Lord ; and as we pass 
along he will give unto us the sure testimony 
of his aid and love. And let us add to our 
faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to 
knowledge temperance, and to temperance 
patience, and to patience godliness, and to 
godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly 
kindness charity; for if these things be in us 
and abound, they will make us that we will 
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the 
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; but he 



I02 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

that lacketh these things is blind and cannot 
see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged from his old sins; but if we do these 
things we shall never fall. Therefore let us 
be diligent to make our calling and election 
sure, that we may enter the kingdom of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ : let us love all 
men alike with the love of God, for h£ mak- 
eth no difference. God is love, and he that 
abideth in love abideth in God and God 
abideth in him. The grace of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the 
communion of the Holy Ghost, rest and 
abide with you all. Amen. 

To the work, to the work, we are servants of 

God ; 
Let us follow the path our Master hath trod; 
With the balm of his counsel our strength to 

renew, 
Let us do with our might what our hands find 

to do. 

Toiling on, toiling on, 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I03 

Toiling on, toiling on, 

Let us hope, let us watch, 

And labor till the Master comes. 

There are yet many things that I might 
write about, but I mean to stir up your minds 
to go to work ; because it is not so much to 
know, as it is to work. But, how shall or 
will you work, if you do not know him for 
whom you are to work ? Therefore read and 
think, and read this book again and again, 
and reflect upon its words. 

HEAVEN. 

That there is a future state of happiness, 
both reason and Scripture indicate, and a 
general notion of happiness after death hath 
had its existence among the wiser sort of 
heathen, who had only the light of nature to 
guide them. If we examine the human mind 
there is a natural desire of happiness in all 
men, and which, it is equally evident, is not 
attainable in this life. 



I04 THE, TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

Heaven must be considered as a place as 
well as a state; it is expressly so termed in 
Scripture, John xiv. 2, 3, and the existence 
of the body of Christ, and those of Enoch 
and Elijah, is a further proof of it. We be- 
lieve it is above; as some say, above the 
starry heaven ; we are called upon to look up, 
where Christ sitteth at the right hand of 
God ; Christ lifted his eyes up at the grave of 
Lazarus, and on various other occasions, and 
also said, I came from above, I am from 
above, etc. 

Heaven, however, we are assured, is a 
place of inexpressible felicity. The names 
given are proofs of this; it is called Paradise, 
Luke xxiii. 43 ; light. Rev. xxi. 23 ; a build- 
ing and mansion of God, 2 Cor. xv. i ; John 
xiv. 2; a better country, Heb. xi. 16; a 
kingdom, Matt. xxv. 34; an inheritance, 
Acts XX. 23; a crown, 2 Tim. iv. 8; glory, 
Psalms Ixxxiv. 1 1 ; peace, rest and joy of the 
Lord, Isa. Ivii. 2 ; Heb. iv. 9 ; Matt. xxv. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I05 

21, 23, etc. The happiness and joy of 
heaven will consist in freedom from all evil, 
both of body and of soul, Rev. vii. 17; the 
full enjoyment of God, as a chref good, in the 
company of angels. We will be seated 
around the tables spread with angels' food, 
and Christ the Lord will gird himself and 
wait upon us as his guests, etc. Now, there 
are many suppositions of men, that are really 
of no service unto us ; whether there will be a 
different language spoken, and if not, which 
shall be the language ; some say the Hebrew, 
because it is the language always used by 
God ; and whether we shall know each other 
according to the flesh. If this can be of any 
benefit unto you, and you can receive it, we 
shall have no mortal knowledge, because this 
mortality shall put on immortality, and this 
corruptible shall put on incorruption. The 
Saviour said, they neither marry nor are 
given in marriage, but are like the angels; 
therefore this earthly love that binds us 



IC6 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

together, as fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, 
husbands and wives, parents and children, 
together with all our worldly knowledge and 
distinctions, will remain in the earth, for 
they are earthly, and earth cannot exist in 
heaven, also it would be no place of enjoy- 
ment and happiness. But the love of God in 
the soul will abide forever, together with the 
immortal love of the saints ; for the love of 
God constrains us to love his redeemed. 
Now we have a foretaste of it, when we con- 
sider with what kind of love we love them 
that are no kin unto us according to the 
flesh ; for the love of God drowns this earthly 
love, and this proves it : when we see our 
sons and daughters converted to God, and 
filled with the spirit of God, what a different 
kind of love enters into our souls, if so be 
that we walk according to the spirit and not 
according to the flesh. Let this be sufficient, 
to know that we shall be where we wish to be, 
have all things that we desire to have, be 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I07 

among the most desirable company, hear that 
which is the most pleasant to hear, see that 
which is the most pleasing to the eye, and 
have a feeling that is inexpressibly good, 
namely the full presence of God, in all his 
majesty and glory, of the which some of 
us, at least, had a slight foretaste in this 
world. On one occasion God did show unto 
me what it is to be delivered from this body : 
I was not in this mortal body, but, as it were, 
this mortal body was left by itself at a certain 
place, and I was at another place, and I had 
such sweet communion with God as is far be- 
yond expression. There was no earthly 
thought, or knowledge, neither remembrance 
of anything to interfere, but a full and entire 
enjoyment with God — such felicity that is in- 
describable by any man. The death of the 
man of God is equally so, when we shall be 
finally and eternally delivered from this mor- 
tal body. This hath been shewed unto me. 
The death of this mortal body we naturally 



io8 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 



more or less dread, and especially so when 
we see the struggle of the spirit to get disen- 
tangled and loosened from the body of our 
fellow man in death ; the very appearance 
bringeth a deep feeling of awe and gloom 
on us ; but now rest assured, all ye children 
of the living God, if you have lived in the 
Lord ye shall die in the Lord ; there will be 
such a pleasure in your hour of death, when 
God holds out the crown of glory. What a 
different and unexpected feeling there will 
be ! (It is the remorse of conscience that 
maketh death so terrible.) Lift up your 
heads, for your redemption draweth nigh, 
namely, the deliverance from this mortal 
body. Suffice it to say, we shall be seated 
around the tables spread with angels' food in 
the paradise of God, and Christ will gird 
himself and serve us (as he said). Amen. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I09 

HELL. 

This is the place of divine punishment after 
death. As all religions have supposed a 
future state of existence after this life, all have 
their hell, or place of punishment or torment, 
in which the wicked are to be punished. 
Even the heathens have their Tartara, and 
the Mahometans we find believe in future re- 
wards and punishments ; — it is not, therefore, 
a sentiment peculiar to Christianity. There 
have been many peculiar conjectures, respect- 
ing the place of the damned, which will be 
useless for us to think or write about. As to 
the nature of this punishment, we may form 
some idea from scriptural passages, expressed 
so that we shall dread to get there. It is 
called a place of torment, Luke xvi. 21 ; the 
bottomless pit, Rev. xx. 3-6 ; a prison, 
I Peter iii. 19 ; darkness. Matt. viii. 12; Jude 
13 ; fire. Matt. xiii. 42-50 ; a worm that 
never dies, Mark ix. 44-48 ; the second 



no THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

death, Rev. xxi. 8 j the wrath of God, Rom. 
ii. 5. Whether there will be material fire, I 
leave for others to judge ; but it is written by 
some that the wicked shall have their place, 
where devils howl and the damned spirits 
take up their doleful lamentations. But let 
this suffice us : we are sure it is the opposite 
of heaven, where those unfortunates shall get 
that which they most hate, see that which is 
the most horrifying to behold, hear that 
which of all is the most distressing to hear, 
feel that which is insufferable, and be among 
the company most undesirable and abomina- 
ble ; and this altogether will produce a horri- 
ble feeling and suffering that is worse than 
death to the sinner ; for it is written that 
the wicked gnaw their tongues for pain, 
and seek for death to find release, but death 
fled from them ; yea, they shall search and 
seek for death like a man seeks for a pearl, 
but they shall not find it. But we say there 
is less necessity for us to know all about the 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. Ill 

place, and its peculiar torments, and all its 
abominable things, than there is for us to 
know how to live to avoid getting there. 
Christ hath made ample provision for us ; 
now to make proper use of these means 
requires our serious consideration. May God 
help us and give us the grace ! Thank God, 
through Jesus Christ we can escape. 

LITURGY. 

I am not so much opposed to a liturgy as 
some are, because God hath his particular 
order and form laid down for man to go by, 
and the first rule of heaven is order. The 
apostle said. Let all things be done in order. 
Some churches have their prayers in writing, 
and their members are required to read them 
off, so that the unlearned do not make vain 
repetitions in their prayers. It is true we 
shall all be taught of God, but all things are 
not accomplished at once in a child. Not- 
withstanding, all men know that a prayer of 



112 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

words only is mockery ; that is, if the feeling, 
^vants and desires are not with it. Now it is 
my desire to teach and be taught in all 
things that are good unto edification, so 
that I may stand acquitted in the day of the 
Lord. As I have given you some of my ex- 
perience, I will give you some concerning 
this matter also, in my discipline and training 
for the eternal world. In regard to the exer- 
cise in prayer ; when we are in private prayer, 
we ask for those things we stand in need of 
and also for our fellow-man, namely, the grace 
or power of God through Christ, to overcome 
the evils and sins that surround us ; but 
when we pray in public we are governed by 
the particular circumstances, so that one 
particular form of prayer will not answer in 
all places and at all times. In public prayer 
let us observe the same order that we do in 
singing ; let every person's mind follow the 
prayer that is spoken in public, so that all 
men may say amen, and not one crying out 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. H3 

this and another that, with such a confused 
noise that sinners cannot understand the 
petition offered up ; God would not allow me 
this from my beginning, no matter how 
poor the one was in words that led in prayer. 
May God grant you, reader, to know that 
God observes strict order in all things, and 
that if you will ask him he will instruct you 
in all things that are acceptable in his sight — 
at least if there be a willing mind to learn for 
yourself, and not follow the example of 
others, who make a great adulation in the 
church, and without the church walls are 
such as we frequently see. Follow not their ex- 
ample, but pray God that they may be saved. 
I will give you my private prayer as God 
taught me, when I asked him to teach me 
how to pray, and what for to pray ; and it 
hath not got old yet to this day, although I 
often lack the feeling desirable, as we often 
do in all prayers, namely, that of the poor in 
spirit. But of such the promise is given, he 
8 



114 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

that receives not the kingdom of heaven as a 
little child, cannot enter into it, are the 
words of the Saviour. 

Private Fo?yn. 

I thank thee, my heavenly Father, for thy 
long suffering, patience, goodness and mercy, 
and loving kindness, which thou hast not 
only extended toward thy poor and degraded 
little ones, but toward all the children of 
nian ; and especially in the gift of thy Son, 
that all may turn unto thee and have ever- 
lasting life. 

I implore thee, that thou wilt remember 
those which are not so highly favored as I am 
(in this morning, noon, or evening hour, 
etc.), who are laid down on beds of affliction, 
suffering with pain of body and distraction 
of mind, and cannot come before thee to 
speak a word unto thee, or even to think of 
thee, as I can. Oh ! give me a thankful 
heart, that it is as well with me yet as it is. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. II5 

and let them know that thou art the giver of 
every good and perfect gift, the helper in the 
time of need, the comforter in the time of 
sore distress, and the strength in the time of 
extreme weakness. 

Such as are old and enfeebled, whose day 
of life hath been spent, the eventide of death 
drawn nigh, body and mind become weak 
and enfeebled, O let the sun of righteousness 
shine upon them, bright, even as a noontide 
sun shineth, that they may still rest and 
abide in thy works and thee, and thou in 
them, such as are at the moment of exit of 
time, whose doom will forever be sealed, O 
let thy rod and thy staff guide and comfort 
them through the valley and shadow of death, 
that they may be safely landed over into the 
eternal world of happiness and glory. 

Kings, rulers and governors of land and 
sea, city and town, over this wide world, give 
them wise hearts, that they may so rule this 
world, that thy people may still have a 



Il6 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

peaceable waiting before thee, without any 
interference on their part from without ; give 
them also to know that they have a heaven to 
gain and a hell to shun, and thee to glorify. 

Have mercy upon thy people everywhere, 
and give us the things that are needful ; eyes 
that we might see aright, ears that will hear, 
a heart to understand, a tongue that can" 
speak to thee, hands that will labor in thy 
vineyard, and feet that will walk in the path 
of rectitude ; the wisdom and knowledge to 
know thy will, and the power to do it. 
Herein hear, O Father, lest thy people should 
perish. 

Such as are the shepherds of the flock, the 
work and the power is in your hands and so 
are we ; have mercy upon us, give us that 
bread from heaven which is bread indeed, 
and that water of life that is drink indeed, 
that thy people may be so fed and nourished, 
as to grow up from childhood to youth, from 
youth to manhood, and from manhood to old 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. TI7 

fathers and mothers in Christ Jesus. O, Sav- 
iour, save thy people and bless thy inheritance. 

Such as are strangling in birth, who have 
the umbilical cord of this world wrapped 
around their necks, and cannot breathe the 
free air, O have mercy upon them, and let 
them know that every high and appreciable 
thing of this world is an abomination in thy 
sight. O, let their minds be far elevated 
above the fleeting things of this life ; let them 
not perish, but rescue them from danger, 
that they may be saved through the blood of 
the covenant. 

The wise of this world, who by their wis- 
dom and knowledge construe thy doctrine so 
as to make some null and void, and replenish 
things which thou hast not bidden, to bring 
an abomination before thy face, let them 
know that every man is but foolish, and that 
thou art only wise, and the words which 
thou hast spoken shall judge a man at the 
last day. O, let them not be taken in the 



Il8 THE TRUE DTSCIPLINAEJAN. 

day of judgment by surprise, but rescue them 
from danger, that they may be saved. 

The innumerable multitude, living in the 
world without knowing thee, seeking thee lit- 
tle and caring less, let the day be speedily 
brought about when they may turn unto the 
overtures of mercy, and eventually be saved 
through the blood of the covenant. 

Thy poor and degraded little ones, give us 
a heart that we might in truth say, Our 
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy 
name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done 
in earth as it is in heaven (O, give us the 
power that such may be fully done) ; give us 
this day our daily bread, and forgive us our 
trespass as we forgive those that trespass 
against us (give us that forgiving heart, that 
we may forgive as we wish to be forgiven), 
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver 
us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and 
the power, and the glory forever (and remain- 
eth with thee). Amen. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. II9 

Now the foregoing I have not obtained or 
acquired from books and much study, all the 
principal thought hath been obtained through 
much prayer and exercise in prayer in secret, 
for the wants of myself and others — asking 
God to teach me, as I found that I was a 
child in knowledge and deed, and that the 
true Christian instruction must come from 
God, who only is wise. Learning the letter 
is good, but the true understanding usefulness 
must be obtained by prayer ; and this that I 
have written often proved manna to my soul 
in dark seasons. It doth not seem to be get- 
ting old, it proves unto me always fresh and 
of benefit ; therefore have I put it in writing, 
and my brother, if God hath learned you a 
better exercise for private devotion, all right j 
but of this I am certain : the man that re- 
peats this prayer in secret three times a day, 
with the proper desire and understanding of 
the heart, and attends to the means of grace 
otherwise, will not be unfruitful in the work 
and knowledge of the Lord, 



I20 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

Family Eve7iing Exercise, 

Now all the day has passed by, 
The sun doth no more shine, 

We leave wherein we've labored lie. 
And sorrows, tears and pine. 

O, Lord be pleased to think of me, 

In this dark and drear)' night, 
And let me thy protection see. 

The power of thy might. 

Should this prove the last night for me, 

And end my earthly care, 
Then take me into heaven with thee. 

The saints' glories to share. 

After singing the above, we have the follow- 
ing prayer : 

Our Heavenly Father, we thank thee for 
thy merciful preservance and care which 
thou hast extended toward us during the past 
day, until this evening hour ; be thou further 
merciful this night, and take us into thy care. 
We submit our life, soul, and body into thy 
hands ; deal thou according to thy justly ex- 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 121 

tolled mercy, and preserve us from all evil 
and harm. Bless us that we may rejoice in 
thy glorious majesty, and in nothing else ; 
bless also our neighbors, friends and enemies 
around us, and preserve them in much mercy 
until the day it may please thee to draw 
them into thy ways and to do thy will ; and 
such as are sick and afflicted, and are not 
able to rest as we do, make their sufferings 
easy, and let them know that thou dost draw 
them unto thee, to submit to thy will, and 
to suffer thy ways. Lord, be thou with thy 
people, lead and guide us through this life, 
and in death save us, for Christ's sake. 
Amen. 

Family Morning Exercise, 

Our morning exercise is prayer only : 

Our Heavenly Father, we thank thee for 

thy merciful preservation and care which 

thou hast extended toward us during the past 

night, until this morning hour. Be thou 



1-2-2 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

further merciful this day, and take us into thy 
care ; our bodies, and keep them from evil 
deeds, our minds from evil thoughts, and our 
tongues from evil speaking. Let thy spirit 
rest and abide with us, that we may walk in 
thy ways, do thy will, and praise thy holy 
name both by act and by deed. Bless us with 
that heavenly blessing that we may rejoice in 
thy glorious majesty, and in nothing else. 
Bless also our neighbors, friends and enemies, 
around us ; let them know that they live of 
thy goodness and mercy, and preserve them 
in much mercy until the day it may please 
thee to draw them into thy ways and to do 
thy will. And those that are of the house- 
hold of faith, be thou powerful upon us with 
thy spirit, remove every obstacle out of the 
way, comfort the comfortless, strengthen the 
weak, lead and guide us through this life in 
such a way as to fit us out for thy king- 
dom above, through Christ our Redeemer. 
Amen. 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. I 23 

Ghmig of Thanks at Meal- Time. 

I will give you my first form that the 
spirit of thought presented at the time, 
which was afterward amended, as I felt it 
more edifying to those around me. While 
we are eating before the Lord, if so be that 
we are in the Lord, it would require no 
words on our part ; but to teach others who 
know not God, it is necessary that we should 
pray aloud for their good. To pray both be- 
fore and after meals is superfluous, except for 
those who, while eating, forget that they are 
before God ; such may well pray for forgive- 
ness of their sins committed while eating. 
But this I say, be not discouraged if the rod 
of the Lord be heavily drawn across your 
back when you pray or speak in public or be- 
fore men, so as to make things pleasant to 
their minds ;■ — then consider what thou hast 
done that was not pleasing to God. 

First Forin : We thank thee, our Heavenly 
Father, for the blessing which thou hast left 



124 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

before us again, and we are unworthy of it. 
O do thou let that heavenly blessing come 
w^ithin our reach, which we so much more 
need than the present, for Christ's sake. 
Amen. 

Second Form : We thank thee, our Heav- 
enly Father, for the blessing which thou hast 
left before us again, and we are unworthy of 
it. Sanctify a portion of what is before us to 
its intended use, and us to thy service, and in 
heaven save us, for Christ's sake. Amen. 

TJiird Fonn : All eyes wait upon thee, O 
God. Thou givest meat to the hungry and 
drink to the thirsty in due season ; by thy 
hands are all the living filled with thy bless- 
ing. Give us grateful hearts to enjoy what 
is before us ; ever feed our souls with that 
bread from heaven, and finally save us in thy 
kingdom, for Christ's sake. Amen. 

In conclusion, if you are really converted 
to God, I would say with Samuel the Prophet, 
do as occasion serves thee, for the Lord is 



THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 1 25 

with thee. But bear in mind that Saul the 
king lost his kingdom, for not closely observ- 
ing the word of the Lord, in sparing the 
king and some fine cattle^ which he was 
utterly to destroy and to spare not ; but he 
had mercy on his enemy without God's per- 
mission, and thereby made himself offensive ; 
and again when he was commanded to wait 
seven days until Samuel the Prophet would 
come down to sacrifice, before going unto 
battle with the Philistines, Samuel did not 
come at the appointed time, and Saul became 
frightened at the enemy and offered up a 
sacrifice, which was not in his place to do ; 
he did not trust in God, and thus did prove 
himself before God that he did not fully rely 
on God. As it was to try him, so God will 
let his people be tried ; and if we be found 
faithful, it shall be for our credit. Job said, 
Though thou slay me, yet will I trust in thee. 
Wait patiently upon the Lord and trust in 
him, and in the end thou shalt more than 



126 THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. 

conquer. What you do, do it with your 
might, and observe order strictly. Have thy 
prayers suitable to ihe occasion (not praying 
for saint and sinner when thou art to give 
thanks to God at meal time), in a few words, 
and that to the point, which is pleasing to 
God and man. A long prayer at meal time is 
out of order entirely. Christ thanked God, 
then gave, or broke the bread, as they used no 
knives to cut it. And at all times, a very long 
prayer hath many vain repetitions, which hath 
been forbidden. Beside all this, the very act 
shows it to be a prayer of words only, like the 
priests in the time of Elias — they prayed a 
whole day without avail, but Elias used only 
a few words suited to the occasion, and the 
fire came down and consumed the sacrifice. 
God bless you, and give you an under- 
standing heart. Amen. 

THE END. 



